Self-lifting iron



J y 8, 1952 J. L. cocHhAN 2,602,247

SELF-LIFTI/NC IRON Filed April 14, 1951 Fig.2.

I g z 27 INVENTOR" James L ee 60 chrah WM MW ATTORNEY Patented July 8, 1952 I 1: UNITEDQ STATES OFFICE SELF-LIFTINGJIRON James L. Cochran, Milwaukee, Application April 14, 1951; SerialNo; 221,089

operable by means of a switchcontained in the conventional handle. Release of the handle and switch closes a circuit to the electromagnet whereby the same is attracted toward a conventional iron or steel ironing table top to thereby tilt the iron and thus prevent the same from accidentally falling from the ironing board while at the same time lifting the heating portion of the iron away from the cloth covering usually associated with such ironing boards.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an electrically operated iron having automatic means for maintaining the same upon an ironing board.

Another object of the invention is the provision of novel means for automatically tilting an iron of the character described to lift the heating portion thereof away from a board with which it may be associated.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character described which is simple in construction, easy to incorporate as a part of a conventional iron and yet eifective and efiicient in use.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention illustrating the same in inoperative condition,

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the device in operative position,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view of a switch forming a part of the invention,

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical fragmentar sectional view illustrating an electromagnet forming a part of the invention, and

Figure 5 is a schematic view illustrating the electrical circuits involved in the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown therein an electric iron having a body In, a conventional heating bottom ii and a handle l2. In the lower portion of the handle there is provided the conventional heat control switch It and atth'e rear of the handle lSZthe're is provided the conventional female electrical connector plug. it for the reception of the male connector. member 'I 5. which is suppliedby a cable It. connected'with a source of electrical. energy.

The present invention comprises a rearward extension. H for the body [0 which extension is provided" with an upwardly and rearward'ly extending bottom i8. Within theexten'sion l1 there is inounted'an"electromagnet IQand' in the upperiportion of the handle Lithere is provided a normally closed switch 23' which" includes a handle 21 having a screw 22 centrally disposed therein and carrying at its lower end a movable contact member 23 which is normally held by means of a compression spring 24 against a. pair of fixed contact members 25 and 26.

Within the bottom H there is provided a conventional heating element 21.

The electromagnet I9 is connected by a wire 22 with the contact member 25 and a wire 29 con-- nects the contact member 25 with one of the electrical supply wires 30. The electromagnet I9 is connected by means of a wire 32 with a wire 30 and the other electrical supply wire 3| extends to an on-and-off switch 33. I

In operation, it will be understood that the device forming the present invention must perforce be utilized with that type of ironing board having a steel or iron top member 34 which may be provided with a covering 35 of fabric. It will also be seen that when the iron is in use, the operator thereof will naturally compress the handle 2! downwardly when the handle 12 is grasped in normal use to thereby open the switch 20 whereupon no electrical current will be supplied to the electromagnet l9 and the iron may therefore be utilized in the ordinary manner. When, however, the handle i2 is released by the operator thereof, it will be apparent that the spring 24 will force the handle member 25 upwardly tothereby force the movable contact 23 into abutment with the fixed contacts 25 and 26 to thereby complete an electrical circuit to the electromagnet l9 thereby attracting the same to the steel oriron plate which forms the body of the ironing board. This action causes a tilting of the complete iron to the position shown, for example, in Figure 2 of the drawing. When this occurs, it will be apparent that the iron will be prevented from falling from the board accidentally and also that the heating element containing bottom ll will be held in raised position and out of contact with the fabric 35 to thereby prevent the same from burning or catching fire.

While but one form of the invention has beenshown and described herein, it W111 be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising, in combination with an electric fiatiron having a body, a handle, a base, a heating element in said base, and an ironing board of magnetizable material, the provision of an extension for said body at the rear thereof, said extension having an upwardly and rearwardly extending bottom, a normally closed switch in said handle, a

a button for operating said switch mounted in said handle and compressible by the hand of the operator of the flatiron to open said switch, and means operable by the closing of said switch to force the flatiron to rest upon the bottom of said extension, said means including an electromagnet positioned in said extension, an electrical means connecting said switch and said electromagnet with a source of electrical energy.

2. A device of the character described comprising, in combination with an electric flatiron having a body, a handle, a base, a heating element in said base, and an ironing board of magnetizable material, the provision of an extension for said body at the rear thereof, said extension having an upwardly and rearwardly extending which includes said heating element.

JAMES L. COCHRAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,185,915 Ginder Jan. 2, 1940 2,308,941 Stevenson Jan. 19, 1943 2,418,020 Finlayson Mar. 25, 1947 2,517,229 Osler Aug. 1, 1950 2,554,111 Leonard May 22, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 23,260 Great Britain 1896 329,454 Germany Mar. 21, 1924 

